Apparatus for continuously winding up a linear product such as wire

ABSTRACT

A continuous wire take-up apparatus having pair of rockable reel supporting frames. A disc is mounted on each pair of reel supporting frames adjacent one end of the reel for rotation therewith. One of the pairs of the frames is rocked down when the associated reel becomes substantially full of the wire. At the same time, a wire guiding sheave is moved axially of the reels to the above of the discs. A wire shifting rod is moved between the reels axially thereof to shift the wire beyond the discs. Claws project from the discs to engage the thus shifted wire and arrest it on the discs. The rotation of the discs cuts the wire between the discs. The cut end of the wire arrested on the disc for the empty reel causes a further length of the wire to be wound up thereon.

United States Patent Otani [54] APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY WINDING UP ALINEAR PRODUCT SUCH AS WIRE [52] US. Cl. ..242/25 A [51] Int. Cl. ..B65h54/02 [58] Field of Search.....242/25, 18 A, 18 EW, 18 PW [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,347,477 10/1967. Touze..242/25A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,074,709 Great Britain 51Oct. 3, 1972 Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath AssistantExaminer-Milton Gerstein Attorney-John J. Byrne [57] ABSTRACT Acontinuous wire take-up apparatus having pair of rockable reelsupporting frames. A disc is mounted on each pair of reel supportingframes adjacent one end of the reel for rotation therewith. One of thepairs of the frames is rocked down when the associated reel becomessubstantially full of the wire. At the same time, a wire guiding sheaveis moved axially of the reels to the above of the discs. A wire shiftingrod is moved between the reels axially thereof to shift the wire beyondthe discs. Claws project from the discs to engage the thus shifted wireand arrest it on the discs. The rotation of the discs cuts the wirebetween the discs. The cut end of the wire arrested on the disc for theempty reel causes a further length of the wire to be wound up thereon.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED T I97! 8 3,695,525

sum 2 or 2 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY WINDING UP A LINEAR PRODUCT SUCHAS WIRE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generallyto an apparatus for continuously winding up a linear product such aswire and, particularly, to an apparatus of this kind and in which, whenthe product has been wound up on a reel substantially to its fullcapacity, the product is then automatically transferred from the fullreel to another empty one and is continuously taken up thereon.

In the apparatus of this kind, various types of automatic linear producttransfer mechanisms have heretofore been proposed. However, none of theconven tional transfer mechanisms performs satisfactory and smoothtransferring operation and this is especially true when the apparatus isoperated to wind up a linear product at higher speed. With theconventional transfer mechanism, furthermore, the apparatus designed foruse with large-sized take-up reels is inevitably required to have alarge-sized construction in its entirety so as to be adapted for thelarge reels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide an improved apparatus for continuously winding up a linearproduct which can eliminate the problems and drawbacks mentioned in theabove.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus ofthe class mentioned in the above and which assures reliable and smoothoperation in transferring the linear product from a full reel to anotherempty one.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatusof the class mentioned in the above and which is designed to be adaptedfor take-up reels of relatively larger size as compared with the size ofthe apparatus in its entirety.

These objects are achieved by the construction of an apparatus of thepresent invention which comprises pairs of frame members pivotallymounted on a base, said pairs of frame members being adapted todetachably and rotatably support thereon take-up reels in parallelrelationship to one another, motor means for rotating the reels on saidpairs of frame members in opposite directions, power means for rockingsaid pairs of frame members about pivotal axes thereof, a disc membermounted on each pair of said frame members adjacent one end of the reelthereon for rotation therewith, means for guiding said linear productfrom its delivery position to one of the reels on said pairs of framemembers, said power means being operable to rock down the pair of saidframe members associated with said one reel when it has taken up saidlinear product almost to its full capacity to bring the run of saidproduct into contact with the periphery of the other empty reel, saidguiding means being movable in a horizontal plane above said reels indirections parallel and perpendicular, respectively, to the axes ofrotation of the reels, means movable between said reels axially thereoffor shifting the part of said linear product axially of said reelsbeyond said discs when said one reel has take up said productsubstantially to its full capacity, said part of said linear productextending between said reels, and at least one claw member on each ofsaid discs adjacent the periphery thereof, said claw members beingadapted to engage the thus shifted part of said linear product andarrest it on said discs to cause said product to be cut between saidclaw members by the rotation of said discs whereby the cut end of saidproduct arrested on the disc associated with said empty reel enables afurther continuous length of said linear product to be continuouslywound up on said empty reel.

The above and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome more apparent from the following description of an embodiment ofthe invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the wire take-upapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates in side view the wire take-up operationof the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates in side view the apparatus in aposition in which the wire has been wound up on one reel almost to itsfull capacity; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view, as viewed substantially in a directionindicated by an arrow V, of the arrangement of reels, associated discmembers, a wire shifting rod and wire guiding traverse sheave when thewire has been completely wound up on the one reel and is going to betransferred to another empty reel.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention will bedescribed hereunder in detail with reference to an illustratedembodiment of the invention which is designed to be suitable for windingup a continuous length of wire. It is, however, to be noted that theinvention is not limited to winding up of wire only but is applicable toother similar linear products.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is illustratedan embodiment of the linear product takeup apparatus of the inventionwhich is generally indicated at 10. The apparatus 10 has a base 11, twopairs of upright frames or posts 12 and 12a (post 12a not appearing inthe drawings) and I3 and 13a extending upwardly from the base 11substantially at the four corners thereof. A pair of horizontal bars orshafts 14 and 15 of circular cross-section extend between and are fixedat their opposite ends to the posts 12 and 13 adjacent the top endsthereof. Similarly, a pair of horizontal shafts 14a and 15a extendbetween and are fixed at their opposite ends to the posts 12a and 13aadjacent the top ends thereof.

A pair of generally triangular frame members 16 and 17 are pivotallymounted at one apexes or bottom ends on the base 11 adjacent the bottomends of the posts 13 and 13a by means of axles 18 and 18a and brackets20 and 21 on he base 11. One of the frame members 16 is operativelyconnected substantially at the center of the length thereof to thecorresponding upright post 13 substantially at the center of the heightthereof by means of a piston and cylinder assembly 22, as shown in FIG.2, which is adapted to be pneumatically or hydraulically actuated topivotally move or rock the frame member 16 for the purpose which will become apparent later. If necessary, the other frame member 17 may also besimilarly actuated by a similar fluid-actuated piston and cylinderassembly (not shown) operatively connecting the member 17 with thecorresponding upright post 13a.

The pair of frame members 16 and 17 are adapted to support thereon awire take-up reel indicated by R1. For this purpose, the member 16carries at the upper apex a relatively shorter axle or shaft 23 whichmay be slidably retracted outwardly, when required, by any conventionalpower means such as conventional fluidactuated cylinder (now shown). Theother frame member 17 has an axle or shaft 24 rotatably extendingthrough the upper apex. The shaft 24 has a disc member 25 rigidlymounted thereon adjacent the inner end. The disc member is provided withinwardly projecting claws 26 and 27 adjacent the outer periphery of thedisc member. The shafts 23 and 24 are adapted to support a wire take-upreel R1 on the inner ends of the shafts in such a manner that the flangeon one end of the reel is in face to face engagement with the discmember 25 so as to be driven or rotated therewith.

For this purpose, the shaft 24 has a pulley 28 rigidly mounted thereonadjacent the outer end. The pulley 28 is operatively connected by a belt29 with a second pulley 30 disposed co-axially with the pivotal axis ofthe frame member 17. The pulley 30 is operatively connected to a motormeans (not shown) by any conventional torque transmitting means such asbelt or chain. It will be appreciated that, since the second pulley 30is mounted in coaxial relationship with the axis of rocking motion ofthe frame member 17, the torqueof the not shown motor means isadvantageously transmitted through the belt 29 and the first pulley 28to the shaft 24 and thus to the reel R1 in whichever position of thepath of the rocking motion the frame member 17 may be.

The triangular frame member 16 has another fluidactuated piston andcylinder assembly 31 mounted thereon adjacent the remaining or innerapex. The fluid-actuated assembly 31 has a piston rod 32 supporting atthe free end an inwardly and upwardly extending rod 33 for the purposewhich will also become apparent later.

Another pair of generally triangular frame members 160 and 170 (member17a not appearing in the drawings) are provided adjacent the otherupright posts 12 and 12a in a manner similar to that in which the reelsupporting frame members 16 and 17 are provided. The frame members 16aand 17a are also adapted to support thereon another reel, represented byR2, and thus are associated with elements similar to those associatedwith with elements similar to those associated with frame members 16 and7. Therefore, no further description will be required in connection withthe frame members 16a and 17a with the exception that the elements forthe members 16a and 17a similar or corresponding to those for themembers 16 and 17 are represented by similar reference numerals andfollowed by a character a.

Blocks 34 and 35 are slidably mounted on respective pairs of horizontalshafts l4 and and 14a and 15a. A transverse shaft 36 extends between andare fixedly secured at the opposite ends to the blocks 34 and 35,respectively. Another block or slide member 37 having a bracket 37a isslidably mounted on the transverse shaft 36. The slide member has asheave member 38 rotatably mounted on a stud 39 on the bracket 37a. Thesheave member 38 is adapted to guide the wire form its delivery sourceto a working reel so that the wire is wound on the reel in good order.The slide member 37 has formed therein an internally threaded throughhole (not shown) through which extends a second transverse shaft 40having formed thereon turns of external screw threads which engage theinternal screw threads in the slide member 37. The threaded shaft 40 isrotatably received at one end by the block 34 and extends rotatably atthe other end through and beyond the other block 35.

The said other end of the threaded shaft 40 loosely extends through oneend of a link 41 disposed outwardly of the frame member 17. A pulley 42is rigidly mounted on the end of the shaft 40 outwardly of the link 41.The latter is hinged at the other end to a second link 43 by means of ahinge pin 41a on which rotatably mounted are pulleys 44 and 45 which areconnected together for unitary rotation. The second link 43 is pivotallymounted at the other or lower end on a stationary shaft 46 on whichrotatably mounted are pulleys 47 and 48 which are also connectedtogether into a unitary structure. The last pulley 48 is suitablyoperatively connected to a motor means (not shown) which may either beone of the motors for rotating the reels, or be a separately providedmotor. A belt 49 drivingly connects the pulley 45 with the pulley 42while another belt 50 drivingly connects the pulley 47 to the pulley 44.

Means (not shown) are provided to move the blocks 34 and 35 and thus thesheave 38 from the solid line position (A) in FIG. 2 to a broken lineposition (B) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes ofrotation of the reels R1 and R2 substantially in a plane defined betweenthe two pairs of the horizontal shafts 14 and 15 and 14a and 15a Thesemeans may be any conventional drive mechanism such as sprocket wheelsand a chain running around the sprockets, one of the sprockets beingdriven by a motor and the chain being connected or secured at upper orlower run to one of the blocks 34 and 35. Alternatively, the mentionedmeans may be a fluid-actuated cylinder having its piston rod secured toone of the blocks 34 and 35.

The upper end of the link 41 is loosely mounted on the outer end of theexternally threaded transverse shaft 40, as described in the above, sothat the link 41 will follow the movement of the blocks 34 and 35. Thismovement of the link 41 causes the second link 43 to be swung oroscillated about the stationary shaft 46 while the drive connectionbetween the externally threaded shaft 40 and the motor means therefor ismaintained by means of the link connection and the associated pulleysand belts. Thus, it will be appreciated that the torque of the motormeans is transmitted through the pulleys and belts to the externallythreaded transverse shaft 40 in whichever position the blocks 34 and 35may be with respect to the axis of rotation of the stationary pulleys 47and 48.

A pair of rails 51 and 52 are provided on the base 11 and extendtransversely of the axes of rotation of the reels R1 and R2 between theoppositeframe members of each pair of reel supporting frame structure.These rails are designed to guide wire take-up reels therealong in sucha manner that an empty reel is rolled on the rails 51 and 52 into theapparatus and a full reel is rolled out of the apparatus. For thispurpose, the rails 51 and 52 are slightly sloped down from the emptyreel rolling-in position toward the full reel rolling-out position.Apair of stops 53 are provided in the rails 51 and 52, respectively, ata position upstream of the pairs of reel supporting frames. Similarly,another pair of stops 55 and 56 are provided in the rails 51 and 52 insuch a position as to hold a full reel dismounted down onto the railsfrom either pair of reel supporting frame members. Both pairs of stops53 and 54 and 55 and 56 are designed to be retracted down below thesurfaces of the rails by any conventional means so that empty and fullreels may be free, when required, to roll down along the rails.

Now, a description will be made with respect to the operation of theapparatus in reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the apparatus in a position in whichthe wire guiding sheave 38 is in the position B and is guiding the wireto the reel R1 mounted on the pair of frame members 16 and 17. Anotherempty reel R2 is prepared on he other pair of frame members 16a and'17a. Still another or next empty reel Rl-a is prepared on the rails 51and 52 and stopped by the stops 53 and 54.

When the wire is wound up on the reel R1 almost to its full capacity,the reel R2 is started its rotation and the peripheral speed thereof isadjusted so as to be substantially the same as the linear speed of thewire being taken up on the reel R1. At the same time, the piston andcylinder assembly 22 is actuated to move or rock the reel supportingframe members 16 and 17 down to a position shown in FIG. 4 so that therunning wire is brought into contact with the periphery of the wiretake-up drum of the reel R2, as will be seen in FIG. 4. At the time thereel R1 has taken up the wire thereon to its full capacity, he wireguiding sheave 38 is rapidly moved by the rotation of the externallythreaded shaft 40 to a position, shown in FIG. 5, which is axiallybeyond the disc 25a. The sheave 38 is maintained at this position for awhile. Simultaneously, the piston and cylinder assembly 31a is actuatedto move the associated rod 33a axially of the reels RI and R2 beyond thediscs 25 and 250 so that the part of the wire between the discs isengaged by theclaws 26 and 26a, as seen in FIG. 5, and arrested onthediscs. The continuous rotation of the reels and the discs issufficient to cut the wire therebetween. The cut end of the wirearrested on the disc 25a causes a further continuous length of the wireto be taken up on the reel R2. In other words, the wire is thusautomatically transferred from the full reel R1 to the empty one R2. Thewire guiding sheave 38 is then moved to the position A and serves inthis position to guide the wire to the reel R2 until it takes up thewire almost to its full capacity.

On the other hand, the full reel R1 has stopped its rotation and is thenremoved off the pair of reel supporting frame members 16 and 17 downonto the rails 51 and 52 by retracting the shaft 23 outwardly. The thusremoved full reel is rolled down off the apparatus as shown in FIG. 4 bybroken line. Then, the stops 53 and 54 are retracted down and anotherempty reel Rl-a which has been prepared on the rails, are rolled downuntil it is reached by the stops 55 and 56. The new reel Rla is thenmounted on the pair of frame members 16 and 17 which are then rockedupwardly to their normal position shown in FIG. 2 by the piston andcylinder assembly 22. When the reel R2 has taken up the wire thereonsubstantially to its full capacity, the piston and cylinder assembly 22ais actuated to rock down the reel supporting frame members 16a and 17aand the apparatus 10 operates in cyclical manner in a similar fashion.

In the above-described and illustrated embodiment of the presentinvention, the wire shifting rods 33 and 33a are mounted on the pistonand cylinder assemblies 31 and 31a which are mounted on the respectivepairs of reel supporting frame members 16 and 17 and 16a and 17a. Thewire shifting rods 33 and 33a, however, may be disposed at any positionwhich may enable these rods to shift the wire axially of the reelsbeyond one ends thereof.

It is particularly to be noted that when one of the pairs of reelsupporting frame members is rocked down together with a substantiallyfull reel thereon, the wire being still taken up on the full reel isbrought into contact with the wire take-up drum of another empty reeland is advanced along a substantially vertical path as will be seen inFIG. 4. This makes it possible for a single rod, which is associatedwith the empty reel, to be brought into contact with the portion of thewire extending between the opposite wire take-up drums and bias or shiftthe wire portion axially beyond one ends of the reels whereby the wireis engaged and arrested by the claws on the discs at the said one endsof the reels. It is also pointed out that the sloped rails 51 and 52 andthe stops 53 and 54 and 55 and 56 assure easy mounting and dismountingof reels on and off the reel supporting frame members.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for continuously winding up a linear product comprisinga housing, a pair of frame members each pivotally mounted in saidhousing on parallel pivotal axes, a take-up reel for each of said framemembers, said reels being detachably and rotatably supported in a firstposition in side by side parallel relationship in substantially the sameplane on said frame members, motor means for rotating each of said reelsin opposite directions, power means for rocking each of said framemembers about said pivotal axes toward and away from each other to asecond position whereby one reel is in a plane below that of the other,a disc member mounted oneach of said frame members adjacent one end ofthe reel thereon for rotation therewith, a source means for said linearproduct, means for guiding said linear product, means for guiding saidlinear product from said source means alternately to said reels, saidlinear product runningsubstantially tangential to each of said reelswhen one of said frame members is in the second position, said guidingmeans being movable in a horizontal plane above said reel in directionsparallel and perpendicular, respectively, to the axes of rotation of thereels, means movable between said reel axially thereof for shifting saidlinear product axially of said reels beyond said discs, and at least oneclaw member on the periphery of each of said disc members, said clawmember being adapted to engage and cut said linear product and arrest iton said disc member when frame members are in said second position andwhen said product is shifted axially by said shifting means.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said guiding meansincludes a pair of horizontal shaft members extending in parallelrelationship to one another in a direction perpendicular to said axes ofrotation of reels, a pair of block members slidably mounted on saidshaft members respectively, a transverse shaft member rotatablyextending through said block 'members, a sheave member mounted on saidtransverse shaft member for movement therealong, means for moving saidsheave member along said transverse shaft member and means for movingsaid block members along said horizontal shaft members.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said means for movingsaid sheave member include screw threads formed externally on saidtransverse shaft member, a slide member carrying thereon said sheavemember for free rotation, said slide member having therein internalscrew threads in engagement with said external screw threads on saidtransverse shaft member, a second motor means, and drive meansoperatively connecting said second motor means with said transverseshaft member.

' 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said drive meansinclude a pin member, first and second link members loosely hingedtogether at one end by said pin member, said first link member beingpivotally mounted at the other end on said transverse shaft member, asecond pin member, said second link member being loosely pivoted at theother end to said second pin member, a first pulley rigidly mounted onsaid transverse shaft member, a second pulley rotatably mounted on saidfirst pin member, a first belt member drivingly interconnecting saidfirst and second pulleys.

a third pulley mounted on said first pin member and connected to saidsecond pulley for rotation therewith, fourth and fifth pulleys connectedtogether and rotatably mounted on said second pin member, a second beltmember drivingly interconnecting said third and fourth pulleys, saidfifth pulley being operatively connected to the output shaft of saidsecond motor means.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said means for shiftingsaid linear product includes first and second fluid-actuated piston andcylinder assemblies, the first of which being mounted on one of saidreel supporting frame members, and the second being mounted on the otherof said reel supporting frame members, and product shifting rodsconnected at one end on the free ends of the piston rods of saidassemblies, respectively, said product shifting rods extending inwardlyand upwardly from a respective reel supporting frame member.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which said power means includefluid-actuated piston and cylinder assemblies operatively connected atone end to said housing respectively, said assemblies having their otherends operatively connected to said reel supporting frame members,respectively.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a pair of railson said base extending transversely of said axes of rotation of reel son respective rgel supporting frame members, said rails being adapted orreceiving thereon reels to be rolled into and out of said apparatus,said rails sloping in a direction, and first and second reel stoppingmeans disposed in said rails, said stopping means being retractable downbelow the surfaces of said rails, said first stopping means beinglocated remotely from said frame members and said second means belocated adjacent to and generally beneath said frame members.

1. An apparatus for continuously winding up a linear product comprisinga housing, a pair of framE members each pivotally mounted in saidhousing on parallel pivotal axes, a take-up reel for each of said framemembers, said reels being detachably and rotatably supported in a firstposition in side by side parallel relationship in substantially the sameplane on said frame members, motor means for rotating each of said reelsin opposite directions, power means for rocking each of said framemembers about said pivotal axes toward and away from each other to asecond position whereby one reel is in a plane below that of the other,a disc member mounted on each of said frame members adjacent one end ofthe reel thereon for rotation therewith, a source means for said linearproduct, means for guiding said linear product, means for guiding saidlinear product from said source means alternately to said reels, saidlinear product running substantially tangential to each of said reelswhen one of said frame members is in the second position, said guidingmeans being movable in a horizontal plane above said reel in directionsparallel and perpendicular, respectively, to the axes of rotation of thereels, means movable between said reel axially thereof for shifting saidlinear product axially of said reels beyond said discs, and at least oneclaw member on the periphery of each of said disc members, said clawmember being adapted to engage and cut said linear product and arrest iton said disc member when frame members are in said second position andwhen said product is shifted axially by said shifting means.
 2. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said guiding means includes apair of horizontal shaft members extending in parallel relationship toone another in a direction perpendicular to said axes of rotation ofreels, a pair of block members slidably mounted on said shaft membersrespectively, a transverse shaft member rotatably extending through saidblock members, a sheave member mounted on said transverse shaft memberfor movement therealong, means for moving said sheave member along saidtransverse shaft member and means for moving said block members alongsaid horizontal shaft members.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 inwhich said means for moving said sheave member include screw threadsformed externally on said transverse shaft member, a slide membercarrying thereon said sheave member for free rotation, said slide memberhaving therein internal screw threads in engagement with said externalscrew threads on said transverse shaft member, a second motor means, anddrive means operatively connecting said second motor means with saidtransverse shaft member.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 in whichsaid drive means include a pin member, first and second link membersloosely hinged together at one end by said pin member, said first linkmember being pivotally mounted at the other end on said transverse shaftmember, a second pin member, said second link member being looselypivoted at the other end to said second pin member, a first pulleyrigidly mounted on said transverse shaft member, a second pulleyrotatably mounted on said first pin member, a first belt memberdrivingly interconnecting said first and second pulleys, a third pulleymounted on said first pin member and connected to said second pulley forrotation therewith, fourth and fifth pulleys connected together androtatably mounted on said second pin member, a second belt memberdrivingly interconnecting said third and fourth pulleys, said fifthpulley being operatively connected to the output shaft of said secondmotor means.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said meansfor shifting said linear product includes first and secondfluid-actuated piston and cylinder assemblies, the first of which beingmounted on one of said reel supporting frame members, and the secondbeing mounted on the other of said reel supporting frame members, andproduct shifting rods connected at one end on the free ends of thepiston rods of said assemblies, respectively, said product shifting rodsexTending inwardly and upwardly from a respective reel supporting framemember.
 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which said power meansinclude fluid-actuated piston and cylinder assemblies operativelyconnected at one end to said housing respectively, said assemblieshaving their other ends operatively connected to said reel supportingframe members, respectively.
 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1further comprising a pair of rails on said base extending transverselyof said axes of rotation of reels on respective reel supporting framemembers, said rails being adapted for receiving thereon reels to berolled into and out of said apparatus, said rails sloping in adirection, and first and second reel stopping means disposed in saidrails, said stopping means being retractable down below the surfaces ofsaid rails, said first stopping means being located remotely from saidframe members and said second means be located adjacent to and generallybeneath said frame members.